


First See the Spark

by Baklavalamp



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, First multi-chapter fic!, Gen, It's the beginning of my AU, Kid is the Avatar, Origin Story, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24412750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baklavalamp/pseuds/Baklavalamp
Summary: All Kid wanted was a shorter walk home from school. What he gets is delinquent sisters, an organization of power-hungry lunatics, and what's essentially a call to godhood. Every Avatar's journey has to start somewhere, right? ATLA AU
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24





	1. It's Called a Hustle, Sweetheart

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! Welcome to my first multi-chapter fic. This won't really be a complete story in its own right, but more like a prologue. It'll lay the groundwork for my ATLA AU, as well as explain some things that were referenced or alluded to in "Pit Stop." I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender.
> 
> Quick warning: This chapter has a bit of violence. No one really gets hurt, but the threat of it is there. Just a heads up. Also, some mild swearing.

It all started because Kid got sick.

It hadn't been anything serious; just your average 24-hour bug, the kind that spreads among children like wildfire. But Kid had woken up yesterday morning feeling miserable, so his father had kept him home from school for the day.

The rest, while appreciated, cost Kid a full day of lessons. Thus, his teacher has seen fit to saddle him with extra homework today, so that he might catch back up more quickly. A cruel kindness, in Kid's opinion, and unnecessary to boot; Kid is normally two chapters ahead of his peers, courtesy of his tendency to read ahead. But the teacher has spoken, and as any good Fire Nation student knows, it is not his place to question her.

But back to the topic at hand; Kid got sick, he's missed some school, and now he has extra homework.

It occurred to him at lunch that if he could somehow get home faster than usual, he'd have more time to do his homework, and so he'd asked around for advice. Fortunately, a few boys in a classroom down the hall knew of a shortcut across town, the details of which Kid had carefully taken notes on. They claimed it could get him home in half the time, and although he is skeptical of that, he still hopes it will shave at least a few minutes off his walk. An innocent enough hope, right? Apparently not, if Kid's current situation is any indication.

"Anything good in there, Patty?"

"There nothin', Sis! Just pocket change!"

Hearing this, the girl holding a knife to his face glares, annoyed. _Sorry to disappoint you,_ the only part of Kid's mind not in panic mode huffs.

He'd been passing through one of the older parts of town- streets he rarely visits outside festival days- when these girls had jumped him. One minute he was alone, eyes glued to his handmade map, and the next he was being dragged by the neck into an alleyway. 'Fast' does seem to be these girls' specialty, though; it can't have been more than two minutes, but they've already gone through everything in his schoolbag.

"That can't be everything," the girl holding him says, more to herself than to her sister. Then, she turns to him. "You go to that prissy little rich kid school, don't you? You've gotta have more than just that on you." Her eyes are narrow, like she's searching for something in his face.

"That's everything," Kid insists, his eyes glued on the blade in her hand. The girl ignores him.

"Search his pockets," she says, glancing back at her sister. The younger girl grins. She's enjoying all this far too much for Kid's liking.

With the knife a hair's breadth from the skin of his neck, Kid holds perfectly still as the girl rifles through his pockets. All of them are empty except one.

"Hey, Sis~," the younger girl sings, holding her prize in the air. It's Kid's pocket watch, a recent birthday gift from his father.

"No!" Kid exclaims, jerking slightly against the knife girl's hold. The knife inches closer, and he freezes again, but his eyes are wider than ever. "You can't take that!"

"Sure we can," says the knife girl, taking the little gold timepiece and holding it up with her free hand. "How much do you think this'll go for, Patty?"

"Lots!" the other girl- Patty, apparently- squeals, clapping with vicious delight.

"Please, my father gave me that! It's important!" Kid pleads, desperate. It's only been a few weeks since his fourteenth birthday, when his father had sat him down and explained what he was about to receive.

_Your mother bought this on our honeymoon_ , the man had said, a warm smile on his face as he turned the watch over in his hands. _She always intended it for you. I think you're old enough now to take care of it._

From the moment the weight of that watch first settled in his palm, Kid hasn't let it out of his sight. He'd never known his mother, who passed away from illness when he was a baby, but his father speaks of her often. This pocket watch is his closest connection to her, and his father has finally judged him ready to be trusted with it. If he were to lose it, especially so soon, the shame would be unbearable.

"You hear that, Patty? His daddy gave it to him!" the knife girl crows, and Patty laughs. "That changes everything, doesn't it?"

"Nope!"

The taller girl puts her knife away and shoves Kid to the ground. In one practiced motion, the girls turn and bolt, leaving their victim sprawled in the dirt.

"Wait!" Kid yells, scrambling to his feet. "Give that back!"

But the girls are long gone, disappeared into the maze of back alleys and empty lots, and Kid is alone once more.

_Dammit!_

What now? Standing at the mouth of the alleyway, Kid is torn. Part of him, deeply shaken by what has just occurred, wants to turn around and run home as fast as he can. Common sense is telling him to let it go, to forget this ever happened and move on with his life. But the thought of his father's face, darkened by disappointment, roots the boy in place. If he runs away, he's never going to see that watch again. If he runs, that link to his mother, that symbol of his father's trust, will be lost forever. But what else is there to do?

_Dammit._

Gritting his teeth and steeling his nerves, Kid takes off after the girls. He can only hope for the best.


	2. Collateral Damage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter! Uploading this now to catch up with the version on FFN.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender
> 
> Warning: More non-graphic violence and swearing.

Kid races through alley after alley, brick walls and dirt pathways blending together as he runs. In the back of his mind, he knows that those girls could have gone in any direction, and that the chances of him catching up to them are slim, but he's invested now. He's not going back without his watch.

_Stupid, stupid!_ How could he have let this happen? Father gave him one job, and not a month later he's screwed it up. If he had been paying more attention to his surroundings, he would have noticed those girls before they'd jumped him, and they wouldn't have taken his watch. If he hadn't taken a shortcut, he'd have never run into them, and they wouldn't have taken his watch. If he hadn't gotten that damn stomach bug, he wouldn't have had so much homework, and he wouldn't have considered taking a shortcut, and those demon girls would never have crossed his path, and they wouldn't have taken his watch! If-

"Let go of her!"

Kid's feet- and his thoughts- screech to a halt at the sound of that voice. The knife girl!

Much more slowly, Kid follows the girl's voice to the entrance of yet another alleyway. Carefully, he peers around the corner.

Knife Girl is surrounded by a number of tough-looking thugs, one of whom is gripping Patty's arm. The shorter girl twists around and hurls an impressive kick at her captor's head, but the man throws her to the ground before it connects.

"Easy, gorgeous, no need to get upset. We just wanna talk is all." This new voice, which oozes arrogance, belongs to a tall, brown-haired man with a toothy sneer.

"There's nothing to talk about," Knife Girl snaps, helping the shorter blonde to her feet. "This is our turf, we were here first, and if you think you can just come in here and-,"

"And what? Kick a pair of street brats outta town? Cuz, I think I can," the man interrupts her raging, expression smug.

Part of Kid feels vindicated by this. _Not so fun when you're the one getting shoved around, is it?_ However, the man and his gang really do look like bad news, and Kid can't help but pity his former tormentors.

"What do you even want this place for, you've got practically everywhere else," Knife Girl protests, a note of desperation in her voice. Patty draws closer to her, glaring at the man.

"Me, personally? I don't give a shit about this place one way or another. But Arachne wants it, and Arachne always gets what she wants."

_Arachne?_ Kid wonders, edging a little closer. As in Arachnophobia, the outlaw gang? Kid's heard his father talk about them, and if half of the rumors are true, the idea of them coming here makes Kid's blood run cold. He's got to tell the police! _  
_

"Well, tell her to screw off! This town's ours!" Patty speaks up now, furious. The man's expression twists unpleasantly.

"What'd you say?" he asks, slowly.

"I said screw that bitch!"

Something very dark is brewing in the man's eyes. Knife Girl must see it, too, because she pulls Patty closer to her. The man steps towards them.

"Listen up, gutter rat. You don't talk about Arachne like that. There's consequences, you see?" He makes a show of drawing a long, jagged blade from under his cloak. The girls, and Kid, go still at the sight of it. "And no one's ever done it more than once."

"No, nonono, Giriko, she didn't-" Knife Girl stutters, shoving Patty behind her, but the thugs are closing in on them now. From his hiding spot, Kid panics. What should he do? He has to help them somehow. But-

In his panic, Kid fails to notice himself leaning forward, reflexively straining for a better view. So, when he releases his grip on the brick wall to wipe his clammy hands on his pants, his balance is lost, and he topples over.

The silence that overtakes the alleyway in that moment is almost deafening. Kid lies there, frozen, sticking out halfway from behind the wall, staring at the group. The group stares right back at him, equally stunned. Then the man- Giriko, apparently- breaks the silence.

"Well, what do we have here?" he purrs, like a hunter sizing up fresh prey. He gestures, and one of the thugs picks Kid up off the ground by his shirt collar. "Liz, is this a friend of yours?"

"I don't even know him!" Knife Girl- Liz?- yelps, looking at Kid as though he is a three-headed platypus bear.

"Now, I just don't think that's true," Giriko shakes his head. He steps away from the girls and approaches Kid. "You got a name, schoolboy?" he asks, bending a little to meet Kid's eyes. Kid can't form a response. "Guess not," the man says, straightening. He heads back over to the girls, and the thug holding Kid follows.

This can't be happening, right? There's no way this is happening. All Kid wanted was his watch back- scratch that, all he wanted was a shortcut home! How'd he get dragged into this?!

Giriko waves his hand, and the thug holding Kid shoves him roughly against the wall. Liz and Patty are similarly brought over, so the three of them stand in a line against the brick.

"So, how do you three know each other?" Giriko asks once they're assembled. From his light tone, you'd think they were sharing tea.

"We mugged him earlier," Liz admits, inspecting Kid from the corner of her eye.

"Oh? Get anything good off him?" the man grins. Liz's glare could melt steel. These people aren't exactly fond of each other, are they? It occurs to Kid that perhaps the enemy of his enemy is his friend, and that Giriko will return Kid's watch. He knows it's a long shot, but right now it's his only hope.

"They took my watch," Kid says. Giriko spares him a glance.

"Izzat so?" he asks, sneering at Liz. The girl's glare doesn't waver. "Let's have a look."

Liz must know she's stuck, because she reaches into her pocket and retrieves the watch without a word. Giriko takes it from her outstretched hand and dangles it by its chain.

"Oh, that's nice. That's real nice," he hums, admiring the way the sun glints off the polished gold. He turns to Kid. "You say this is yours?"

"Yes," Kid nods. "It was a gift from my father."

"Really?" Giriko muses. "Must mean a lot to you, then."

"It does," Kid says earnestly. Giriko's grin widens.

"Then, check this out," he says. To the boy's shock, the man opens his fist, letting the timepiece hit the ground with a heavy thud. In one smooth motion, Giriko slams his heel down on Kid's watch, and a loud crunch echoes off the walls.

The girls wince, no doubt mourning the lost profit. Kid just stares. When Giriko moves his foot, Kid's wide eyes are glued to the shattered remnants of his parents' gift.

"Oh, come on!" Liz shouts, and Giriko laughs at the girls' anger, but Kid can hardly hear them. The watch lies in a hundred tiny pieces in the dirt. Beyond repair, most likely. The physical embodiment of his father's trust in him, gone. The symbol of Kid's maturity, shattered. His only link to the mother he never knew, destroyed.

For a moment, Kid feels nothing.

Then, a rage unlike anything he's ever known seizes him, and the world turns white.


	3. Drag the Cat Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender

He is warm.

This is the first thing Kid registers, when the blinding whiteness fades. He is warm and comfortable, wrapped in softness and security. It's a nice feeling.

As his senses return to him, he realizes he is lying down, resting on something. _I must be in bed_ , he realizes. But something isn't right. Kid's eyes, heavy with sleep, open slowly. The world is fuzzy at first, but when it sharpens, he can see the source of his confusion.

_Why am I still in my school uniform?_ he wonders, baffled. The tips of his boots, from where they poke out from under his blankets, offer no answer.

"Kid!"

Kid starts, his father's voice surprising him. The man is seated on a chair beside Kid's bed, looking more disheveled than the boy has ever seen him.

"Father? What's-," Kid begins, pulling himself into a sitting position. To his surprise, however, his father stops him, gently pushing him back down.

"Whoa, now, take it easy," the man says, some of the playfulness Kid knows him for returning to his voice. "You've had a heck of a day!"

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"Well..."

"Pardon me," the door to Kid's room opens suddenly, and a tall, sharp-eyed woman steps inside. Kid's eyes widen at the sight of her. Police Chief Azusa is here? What is going on?!

"It's alright, Kid!" his father assures him, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Everything's fine. We've just... well, we've got some news."

"Shinigami, would you like me to tell him?" Azusa asks from where she stands stiffly by the wall. Kid's never seen her look so rattled before.

"Tell me what?" he asks, increasingly alarmed. Whatever's going on, it must be serious.

"I'll start from the top," his father says, as though Kid can't tell he's beating around the bush. "Chief Azusa here found you in an alley several blocks away from your school. Apparently, you'd just taken care of some thugs she'd been tracking. That's my boy!"

"Father."

"Right. Ah, well, when she found you, you were... well, how do I put this...,"

"You were in the Avatar State," Azusa cuts in, stomping out Shinigami's waffling. The man frowns at her, but she ignores him. "You defeated ten men single-handedly, using three different elements."

Whatever answer Kid was expecting, this is certainly not it.

"Huh?" Kid gapes at her. Did he hear that right?

"You're the Avatar, Kid," his father announces solemnly, and the look in his eyes is very serious. Kid gapes at him as well.

"That's- how- that's not-," the boy stutters, suddenly desperate for words. That can't be right. There's no way! There must be a mistake. Kid's a firebender, sure, but that's it! He's never bent anything other than fire, and even that's never been anything spectacular. How can he be the Avatar?

"It was unmistakable," Azusa tells him, as though his thoughts are written on his face. "I saw it plain as day, and those men you took out all swear by it."

"When you were born, the Fire Sages came to me," his father speaks up again, and Kid turns to him. "They told me you were the next Avatar, and that they would return to tell you on your sixteenth birthday. They made me swear to never tell a soul, and until today I haven't, but I've always known. I only wish you hadn't found out so soon, and in such an awful way."

Hearing this, the scattered resistance Kid has been mounting falls apart. His father loves jokes and games, but whenever he does speak plainly, his words are never to be taken lightly.

_So it's true_ , Kid thinks, lightheadedness creeping up on him. _I'm the Avatar._

Kid sinks back onto his pillow and stares at the ceiling. Avatar. His whole life, he's heard that word. Children shout it when they play in the streets (Spirits, he's played "master of the elements" his fair share of times, pretending to defeat his playmates with fantastic feats of bending). Adults say it with open reverence. The elderly whisper it like a powerful spell. But that word has always always been associated with someone else, some all-knowing, all-powerful being who maintains the balance of the world. In Kid's lifetime, that someone was Avatar Joe, an Earth Kingdom man renowned for his levelheadedness and empathy. They say he could move mountains, yet hold a butterfly by the wings without hurting it. That balance of power and humanity was what made him a great Avatar, and for the past fourteen years the world has been hoping that the next one will measure up.

_Well,_ Kid thinks. _So much for that._

He isn't a pessimist- he's just realistic. The Avatar is the ultimate force of balance in this world; it's his job to maintain harmony between all things. He must be courageous and wise, a beacon of hope for all people. Kid is none of those things, and he never will be. How on earth is he supposed to do this?!

His mounting horror must show on his face, because his father takes a seat beside him on the bed.

"Everything's going to be okay, son," he says, his arm around Kid's shoulders.

"How?" Kid asks helplessly.

"Azusa has reached out to the Fire Sages. They should be here in a few days," his father tells him. "They'll know what to do."

"I'll have to start training, won't I?" Kid asks, somewhat rhetorically. Of course, he'll have to master all four elements at some point. But when? Will they ship him off to one of the air temples right away?

"Not immediately," his father assures him. "They might give you some general information, but I doubt you'll have to worry about any of it for a few more years."

Kid looks down, the wheels turning in his mind. That does make sense, he supposes. After all, most Avatars don't even find out their identities until they turn sixteen. Kid's only just turned fourteen, so the Fire Sages may not be in too much of a rush to begin his training. Still, Kid thinks the prospect of waiting is rather pointless now. Isn't it done in the first place so the Avatar can have a normal childhood? Because training or no, Kid thinks he's already lost his shot at that; he doesn't think he'll ever feel normal again.

"Chin up!" his father says, attempting a smile. "You can do just about anything you put your mind to, so I'm sure you'll get the hang of all this fairly quickly. You've always been a fast learner, anyway- why, I remember when you were only six, you-,"

"Dad," Kid interrupts him, rolling his eyes. His father always gets so mushy when he talks about Kid's younger years.

"What, am I embarrassing you? That's my job, Kiddo."

"Dad…" Kid smiles wearily, but the tension doesn't quite fade. Everything is going to be different now. He's going to have to shoulder a burden far heavier than any he's ever known, and the whole world will suffer if he fails.

He's just been told he's the most powerful being in the world, so why does he feel so helpless?


	4. The Web Ripples

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter this time, but the next few will be longer, so hopefully that makes up for it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender

"And that's the last thing you remember?" Azusa asks.

"Yes," Kid nods. Azusa frowns.

The two of them sit on opposite sides of a wide wooden table, with several sheets of paper spread out between them. Azusa had herded him into the police station once he'd felt ready to give his statement, and they've been here ever since. Kid's not sure how long it's been since they sat down in an empty interrogation room, but he wouldn't be surprised if it's already evening.

The bespectacled woman appears deep in thought, hands together and brow furrowed. Not that it's an unusual look for her; even the limited experience Kid's had with the police chief before now is enough to tell him she's a calculating woman. He's just glad she's not actually interrogating him.

"Well, you've given us plenty to work with at least," she says finally. "I just wish we had any idea where Giriko and those girls ran off to."

Although Kid's Avatar State-fueled rampage had incapacitated the great majority of the people in that alleyway (Kid himself included; he'd fallen to the ground, unconscious, not long after Azusa had shown up), those three had evaded capture. Now it's Kid's turn to frown.

"Me too," he says. The thought of people like that running around freely is going to keep him up tonight. Not that he's expecting to sleep anyway, but still.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Azusa assures him. "They saw what you're capable of."

"You think that'll keep them away?" he asks.

"For now," she says. Kid tries not to think about what that means.

* * *

At the heart of a labyrinthian fortress, in a dark, lavish room, a woman unfurls a piece of paper. This paper, and the message contained within, have just been delivered by the personal messenger hawk of one of her most loyal henchmen. Considering how Giriko detests writing correspondence, that he's done so now is enough to convince the woman to give it her immediate attention.

As she reads, her normally-impassive aura begins to change. Her eyes widen, and a smile creeps slowly across her features. Were the few servants waiting on her at the time allowed to speak without permission, a conversation would be buzzing. What could be making their mistress so happy?

After a moment, the woman, apparently done reading, rolls the letter back into a tube and hands it to the nearest servant.

"Burn that, and fetch Mosquito," she says. The cloaked figure scrambles to obey, and it isn't long before a short, elderly man totters into the room, his hat removed respectfully.

"Lady Arachne, you summoned me?" he asks, taking a knee at the foot of her chair. Arachne smiles.

"Rise, Mosquito. I have the most wonderful news: the Avatar has been found!" Thick, grey eyebrows shoot up as Mosquito's eyes widen.

"So soon? It's only been fourteen years since the Earth Avatar died!"

"Precisely," Arachne purrs. "Which means our new Avatar is an untrained boy. He's going to need guidance, protection! Someone needs to help him become fully-realized. But the buzzard wasps at the palace or those old Fire Sage fools will snatch him up first if we don't move fast."

"Of course!" the old man snaps into a rigid salute. "But, ah, how 'forward' might I be in collecting him?" he asks. Arachne thinks for a moment.

"No injuries that will take longer than a week to heal," she decides. Mosquito bows once more.

"It shall be done, my Lady."

"Giriko is the one who discovered the boy. Rendezvous with him, and bring as many men as you think you'll need."

With what appears to be herculean effort, Mosquito bites back a groan. In his eyes, Giriko is a crass, thick-headed upstart, and any assignment with him is bound to be mentally draining. Still, his Lady has ordered it, and who is he to deny her?

"As you wish, my Lady," he says, and sets off.


	5. Eye of the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender

Breakfast the next morning is a small banquet, courtesy of his father.

"I closed the shop for the day," Shinigami had explained, when Kid followed the smell of komodo sausage into the kitchen. "Can't remember the last time I took a day off, so I figured, 'why not?'" The man sits on the other side of their kitchen table now, smiling at Kid over a steaming bowl of rice.

Last night, Kid had lain awake for several hours, staring at the ceiling. He'd tried his best to keep his mind empty, but the day's events just kept playing over and over in his head. Out of everything, the part that stuck out the most was the moment after Giriko destroyed his watch. The unnatural rage, so hot it was almost cold, that had boiled up inside of him had been unlike anything he's ever felt before. In that moment, he'd felt like a jar on the brink of bursting as something far too big for him strained to get out.

The "Avatar State," Azusa had called it. Apparently, it's something the Avatar can call on in times of need. The combined strength and wisdom of all his past lives, filtered through him and fired at his enemies with all the bundled-up force of a Yuyan archer's arrow. At least, that's how it's supposed to be; from the sound of it, Kid had just lashed out wildly. He's grateful he didn't seriously hurt anyone.

"What's the hurry?" his father asks playfully as Kid powers through the meal.

"School," he reminds the man, trading an empty bowl of rice for a cup of chilled tea. He's running a little behind schedule today, having woken up later than usual, but he doesn't want this food to go to waste.

"Oh, I've already told your teacher you won't be in today," says Shinigami, and Kid almost chokes. What?!

"You mean I'm not going to school?" he asks, incredulous. His father is always stressing the importance of a good education, and hardly ever lets him miss class. The fact that he'd done so the other day is a testament to how sick Kid had been.

"Well, what with everything that's been going on, I figured you could use a break," his father explains. Kid's grip on his cup tightens.

He can see where his father's coming from, and he appreciates it, he really does, but a break is the last thing he wants right now. A break means he'll have time to actually think about everything that happened yesterday, and Kid can already see himself falling into a mental rut. No, he has to keep doing everything he normally would. It's the only way he can stave off panic.

"I'm fine to go, really," he protests, but it sounds weak even to his own ears. Shinigami smiles sadly.

"It's okay to be afraid, you know," he says, quietly. Kid bows his head, his eyes screwed shut.

"Not for the Avatar," he says.

"Especially for the Avatar," Shinigami counters. Kid looks up at him. "You're not supposed to be an all-knowing spirit. You're just a person with the power to do a lot of good in the world."

"A lot of bad, too," Kid points out.

"Oh yes, because I can just see you terrorizing innocent villagers. When you take over the world, don't forget about your old man, alright? I'll be expecting a private island or two."

"Dad…," Kid sighs, but he's smiling now. Okay, maybe he is being a little over-dramatic. But still, being the Avatar is a huge responsibility! Little mistakes can lead to big problems for a lot of people.

"In all seriousness, you're not giving yourself enough credit. I gave you that watch of yours because you've become a thoughtful, responsible, smart young man. That hasn't changed just because you no longer have the watch to show for it."

"Thanks, Dad," Kid says, and he means it. Telling his father about his gift's untimely fate had been hard, but the man had taken it in stride. _You're okay, and that's what's important_ , he'd said, sweeping Kid into a hug.

"It's true," Shinigami assures him. The man takes a long sip of tea, letting silence settle between them.

_There's no point in worrying over things I can't change_ , Kid tells himself, staring into his own cup of tea. _I just have to focus on what I can do now._

_At least I've still got time_ , he thinks.

* * *

"-and then he was like, blam!" Patty shouts, her fist outstretched in imitation of earthbending. Liz nods, only half listening to her sister's excited rambling.

Getting out of that town before the cops showed up had been a close call, but close calls are the Thompson Sisters' forte. Some people call it living dangerously; they just call it living.

There's more than just one kind of danger, though, and while the girls pride themselves on their skillful navigation of whatever threats the street has to offer, what they'd encountered back there was its own class entirely. One minute she'd been standing next to the boy they'd just mugged, and then she'd been on the ground ten feet away, thrown back by a powerful gust of wind. Before her and Patty's unbelieving eyes, the Fire Nation runt had proceeded to pummel Giriko's men with earth, air, and fire. Liz isn't sure if her and her sister being spared was a conscious choice on the boy's part, or if they'd just gotten lucky.

"And his eyes! His eyes, Sis, how did he do that?!" Patty whirls around, widening her own eyes with her fingers for emphasis.

"I-," Liz falters. That's right, the bending hadn't been the only strange thing; the boy's eyes had glowed, honest-to-Agni-glowed, with a white light brighter than any flame. It was like those eyes had been able to see straight into her soul. Though the port town's streets shimmer with humidity, she wraps her arms around herself, suppressing a shudder. "I'm not sure," she says, finally.

But she has her suspicions.

Could they really have encountered the Avatar, back there? Liz has heard her share of stories about that enigmatic figure, and while she takes most of them with a grain of salt, there's one point they all agree on: only the Avatar can bend more than one element.

Spirits, could she and her sister really have mugged the Avatar?!

"Liz?" Patty asks, concerned. Belatedly, Liz realizes she's stopped walking.

"It's nothing," she's quick to assure the younger girl. Patty frowns.

"You're sure thinking hard about nothing," she says, uncharacteristically stern. Liz sighs.

"You've heard of the Avatar, right?" she asks, accepting defeat. Patty brightens.

"Sure! What about him?"

"I think… I think that kid back there might've been him," says Liz. To her surprise, Patty laughs.

"Of course that was him! Couldn't you tell?" Liz stares at her, uncomprehending, so Patty elaborates. "I mean, his aura was crazy bright!"

"Really," Liz says, her tone carefully neutral. Patty scowls at her.

"It's true!" she insists.

"Okay, okay," Liz concedes. "I guess it makes about as much sense as everything else that's happened today." Really, in comparison to glowing eyes and crazy bending, Patty's long-standing claim of seeing people's "auras" isn't so outlandish.

"So what are we-," Patty starts, but the question dies half-formed. Out of nowhere, she grabs Liz by the arm and hauls her behind an unmanned fish cart.

"What are you-,"

"Shhh!" The younger girl interrupts the elder one, pointing, and Liz sucks in a sharp breath when she sees what Patty does.

"What is he doing here?!" Liz whispers, cursing herself for not noticing sooner. There, rounding a corner onto the street they'd just been coming down, is Giriko. Worse, he's not alone; dozens of scarred, strong-looking men trail him. Arachnophobian goons, without a doubt.

The group cruises down the road, the townspeople wisely choosing to scramble out of the way. The sisters hold their breath as Giriko passes by their hiding spot, but no one pays them any mind. Up close, Liz sees that a short, elderly man is walking beside the firebender.

The group passes, heading out the town's main gate. Still crouched in their hiding spot, the sisters trade glances, and an unspoken question hangs in the air: what's going on?

"Hey," Patty exclaims, once the group is out of sight. "Isn't that the way to that town?"

Liz stands up as her sister's words hit her. _Yes, that's right! Are they going to claim it for Arachne, like Giriko said? But that group's too small..._ _unless... could they be after that boy?_

"Sis?"

If Arachnophobia's after him, that kid's in some serious trouble. And if he really is the Avatar, and Arachne gets her hands on him, the whole world will be in trouble right along with him.

"Not our problem," says Liz, as much to herself as to Patty. Because why should they care? They're the Thompson Sisters, and it's always been them against the world. There's no way they're going to risk their lives for some brat they hardly know, no matter who he's supposed to be. Right?

Patty is unconvinced, her expression unusually solemn.

"He saved us," she points out. She's not wrong; if that boy hadn't blundered into their little meeting with Giriko, there's a good chance the sisters wouldn't be here now. Granted, it hadn't been intentional, but it had still kept them alive.

"It's too dangerous," Liz shakes her head, overruling her sister's unspoken proposal.

"So we're just gonna let him die?" Patty protests.

"They're not gonna kill him," Liz responds, stamping down the guilt that swells up in her gut as she does. Both girls are smart enough to know that the fate they're leaving him to isn't much better than death, but that's exactly why Liz can't let Patty interfere. Patty is her one joy in life, the only person she's ever cared about. If something were to happen to her, Liz would never forgive herself.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do. You saw how many of them there were! We wouldn't stand a chance fighting them."

"We don't have to fight!" Patty insists. "All we have to do is warn him that they're coming. We don't even have to talk to anyone, we can just leave a note or something!"

Liz pauses at this. That… might work. Since Giriko's probably going to be focused on the boy, it shouldn't be hard for the sisters to stay hidden. They wouldn't be in danger, and the boy would stand a chance of getting away. Liz refocuses on Patty, taking in the girl's strained, hopeful expression. _She's really serious about this_ , Liz realizes.

Mentally, Liz sighs. She's never been good at saying no to Patty.


	6. Come Away to the Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender

Breakfast has been done for a little while now, but Kid still hasn't left the table. It's not like he has anywhere to go today, anyway.

He stares at the empty plates piled at the table's center, his chin cradled in his palms. Normally he'd have already washed, dried, and put them away, but today he just observes them. A sense of lethargy has seeped into his bones, and his eyes are half-lidded as he counts the hairline cracks in the plate nearest to him. It's a trick his father taught him long ago to quiet his frenzied thoughts, a sort of mathematical meditation. He's especially grateful for it now.

One...

His father has ducked into the other room for a moment, searching for his pai sho board. It's been a while since they've played, so this will be a nice refresher for them both.

Two…

Absently, Kid's mind wanders to the girls from yesterday. He wonders if they got away alright. It's not that he's concerned about them- they did mug him, after all, which doesn't exactly lay the groundwork for friendship- but the way the older one had tried to shield the younger sticks with him. He wonders what their story is.

Three.

Kid's train of thought is derailed by a tremendous _slam_ from the entryway. His head jerks up in time to see three huge men storm into the house.

"What was that?!" Shinigami's voice echoes from the other room, and the man races back into the kitchen. Seeing the intruders, his face twists in fury. "What is this? Who are you?" he demands, putting himself between the men and his son.

"Town meeting," one of the intruders sneers, seizing one of Shinigami's arms. Another thug helps the first to grab Kid's father, who thrashes until a third grabs Kid himself. Father and son are promptly hauled out of their home and into the street, where they see their neighbors receiving similar treatment. Once the two are in the town square with the rest of the townspeople, the thugs back off and rejoin their comrades. Rough-looking men stand in a large circle around the people, like predators closing in on a herd of koala sheep.

_This is about yesterday_ , Kid realizes with a jolt. _They must be with those people from the alley. They're here for me._ The realization makes dread pool in Kid's stomach.

A woman in pajamas is pushed toward him then, and Kid reaches out quickly to keep her from falling.

"This is a nightmare," the woman hisses, regaining her balance. Kid gets another shock when he recognizes her as Azusa. He's never seen the police chief in anything other than her uniform before.

"Are you alright?" asks Shinigami. Azusa nods, scowling. Kid supposes that wounded pride doesn't count.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please!" From the head of the crowd, a nasally voice calls for silence. Kid stands on his toes, straining for a glimpse of the voice's owner. It appears to be coming from a short, elderly man perched on an overturned crate, right beside…

"That's him!" Kid gasps, catching Azusa and his father's attention. "That's the guy from the alley!"

"Shit," Azusa bites out, her eyes following Kid's outstretched finger to the tall, brown-haired man. Shinigami moves to stand in front of Kid, blocking him from the man's view. Azusa follows suit, so Kid can't see what's happening when the short one speaks next.

"It has come to our attention that this town is home to the Avatar," the old man announces, sparking a rush of gasps and murmuring from the crowd. Kid tries to make himself as small as possible. "As many of you are no doubt aware," the man continues, once the noise has died down a bit, "It is of the utmost importance that the Avatar is trained, so that he might realize his full potential. I am Mosquito, and I come here today as a representative of the Lady Arachne, who, in her boundless generosity, has offered to provide this training. It is therefore imperative that the Avatar step forward, so that he might receive my Lady's gift."

Dead silence. In recent years, the name "Arachne" has become synonymous with disaster. These townspeople may not know exactly what's going on, but they do know that the Avatar falling into Arachnophobia's clutches would be catastrophic.

Reaching backwards, Shinigami takes his son's hand, gripping it tightly. Kid draws nearer to him and tries not to breathe.

"Not coming out, then, are we?" Mosquito asks after a moment. "That's alright. I figured a little persuasion would be necessary. Giriko?"

At the old man's side, Giriko grins. Dropping into an aggressive stance, he takes two paces forward before kicking out at one of the storehouses to the side of the town square. From his foot, a jet of flame roars to life and rockets towards the building. The wooden structure lights up the moment Giriko's fire hits it, sparks and hot ash showering the terrified crowd.

"How's that for some bending?!" Giriko crows, basking in the destruction. "You see that, Avatar? Beat that!"

"What I believe my associate is trying to say," Mosquito cuts in, "is that further collateral damage can be avoided if the Avatar surrenders himself."

Hearing this from behind his father and Azusa, Kid's expression sets. He steels himself.

"Here I am!" he shouts, rushing out from behind the adults. He hears his father make a strangled sort of gasping noise as he does, and Azusa tries to grab him, but it's too late. Around them, the townspeople draw back, stunned. Kid is the Avatar?!

From across the plaza, Mosquito's eyes lock onto the boy.

"Is that him, Giriko?" he demands, stealing a glance at his partner.

"That's the runt," Giriko confirms, a wolfish grin splitting his face. Mosquito smiles, and steps forward.

"A very wise decision, Avatar," he declares. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to come with us."

Kid moves to obey, but a hand wraps itself around his upper arm. Kid whirls to see his father standing over him, meeting Mosquito's eyes with a fierce glare.

"He's not going anywhere," Shinigami states, the look in his eyes daring Mosquito to challenge him. The older man meets the look with an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm afraid he is, actually. I wouldn't expect a commoner like yourself to know, but the Avatar requires protection and guidance in his early years. My lady offers this and more, so you see he simply must go to her."

"Over my dead body."

"If you insist."

Prompted by a slight nod from Mosquito, Giriko launches himself at Kid and his father. The look in the firebender's eyes is downright murderous, and Kid is suddenly afraid for his father's life.

"No, wait!" he screams, flinging his arms out. "I'll go! I said I'll go! Just don't hurt anybody!"

"Hold," Mosquito calls. Giriko screeches to a halt, but doesn't look the least bit happy about it.

"Oh, come on, just let me singe 'em a little!" he whines.

"You know what our orders are, Giriko," Mosquito stares him down. With a sound of frustration, Giriko backs off. Kid sighs, but his relief is fleeting.

"I'll say it again: come here, Avatar," says Mosquito.

"Dad," Kid says, turning to face his father. Shinigami looks down at him with pained eyes.

"You can't. I won't let them," his father rasps, sounding as though he's trying to convince himself as much as Kid. Kid knows that what he's about to do will hurt his father in ways he can't imagine, but there's no other choice. If any more of the thugs at Mosquito's side are firebenders of that caliber, the town will be destroyed. Kid can't let that happen.

"I'll be okay," he says. He tries to believe it, but the look on his father's face as two goons step up to drag Kid away is something he already knows will haunt him.

"That's better," Mosquito purrs as Kid is brought before him. "Now, come along." Hopping down from his perch, Mosquito begins to totter back down the way he'd come. Kid doesn't resist as his guards pull him along after the man, and the whole group heads for the town gate.

The fleeting, over-the-shoulder glance Kid steals of his hometown will be the last he sees of it for a while.


	7. "I knew I should've stayed home today..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender
> 
> Warning: Some language

Liz smells the town before she sees it. The acrid stench is familiar, uncomfortably so, and it tells her they're too late.

"Oh…" Beside her, Patty takes in the scene. They hover at the edge of town, watching as teams of people work to douse the flames consuming a large building. They seem to have kept the fire from spreading, but thick smoke still blots out the sun, and Liz can tell the burning warehouse is a lost cause.

"Shit," Liz curses at the sight, a hand on her face. It's bad enough that they're so close to where Giriko and his pals were headed- the fact that the risk was apparently pointless is salt in the wound. She sighs. Well, they did try, didn't they?

"C'mon, Patty," Liz says, turning to her younger sister. At least, turning to where her younger sister should be; Liz's breath catches when she finds the spot beside her empty. "Patty?!"

Whirling around, Liz is just in time to see the girl stroll into the frantic town. Biting back another curse, Liz darts after her.

"What are you doing?!" Liz hisses, once she catches up.

"Finding out what happened," Patty tells her, taking in the strained faces that rush around them.

'We know what happened, Giriko probably did this when he was getting the kid!" Liz snaps, trying to watch their surroundings while scolding her sister. "Look, we tried, alright? But it's obviously too late, so let's get out of here before-"

"Hey!"

The exclamation nearly makes Liz jump out of her skin, but her years on the street let her look unfazed as a short, dark-haired woman marches towards them from across the crowded plaza.

"Yeah?" she asks, the picture of aloofness.

"I am Police Chief Azusa, and you girls need to come with me," the woman announces, the badge in her hand glinting sharply in the sunlight. Liz curses their luck.

"How come?" she asks, fighting to keep the panic from her features.

"You match the description of a pair of muggers sighted in this town yesterday. I need to ask you both a few questions. Now, are you going to come with me, or are we going to have a problem?"

"Oh, what is it now?" This new voice gives Liz yet another shock. A tall, middle-aged man hobbles up behind the policewoman, looking like the weight of the world is bearing down on him. Something about his face is familiar, but Liz can't quite place it.

"Shinigami, these could be the girls Kid met. They might be able to tell us something," Azusa informs him urgently. _That must be the boy_ , Liz realizes. It hadn't really occurred to her until now that she didn't know his name. _Then, this guy must be his father._

At this new information, the man's slumped posture straightens somewhat, a bit of life returning to his form.

"Is that true? Are you the girls from the alley yesterday?" he demands, yellow eyes locked on the Thompson sisters. "Do you know where my son is?!"

"Not long before you arrived, a group of Arachnophobian agents abducted his son," Azusa explains, mistaking Liz's grimace for one of confusion. "They were the same agents he'd found threatening a pair of girls the day before." The woman's stare is a silent challenge, daring the girls to feign ignorance. Somehow, Liz's dislike of her grows.

"Yeah, that was us," she grumbles, finally deciding that honesty is her best bet.

"Then you know!" Shinigami cries, latching onto her admission like a drowning man. "You know, you know where my son is!"

"No, I don't!" Liz squawks. Agni, this guy is desperate! It frays her already-jagged nerves further; desperate people do stupid things.

"Hey, back up!" Patty interjects, putting herself between the man and her sister. Her glare, coupled with the defensive spread of her arms, seems to bring Shinigami back to himself somewhat.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes, looking down. "Please excuse my behavior. It's… been a long day."

"Sure," Liz nods, still watching him carefully. She looks for deceit, but only finds sadness and pain.

"So you don't know where Kid is?" Azusa asks, refocusing the conversation.

"No," Liz shakes her head, prompting a frustrated sigh from Azusa.

"Actually, we do," Patty pipes up, tapping her sister's shoulder. Liz's eyebrows furrow, her confusion plain to see. "The port!" Patty explains.

_That's right!_ Liz realizes. Giriko and his pals had been walking away from the ship docks when they'd seen them. There might be an Arachnophobian ship anchored there.

"They might have a ship in the next town over," Liz informs her anxious audience. "If they do, that's probably where they're headed."

"Then let's go!" Shinigami exclaims, turning to Azusa. "If we hurry, we could catch them!"

"We can't just charge after them," Azusa insists, although she doesn't seem happy about it. "We need a plan."

"They'll be gone by the time you've got a plan ready," Liz tells her. "Besides, judging by what a wreck this place is right now, you didn't do too well against them the first time around. No offense."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Azusa snaps. "Are you going to go get him for us, then?"

"Sure!" Patty says, and Liz's snide remark dies in her throat. Huh?

"You will?!" Shinigami gasps.

"Whoa, whoa," Liz attempts to regain control of the situation. "We didn't-,"

"You do know those men, don't you? You may actually have a better chance of getting close to them than we would," Azusa muses, sunlight glinting sharply off her glasses.

"We wouldn't even have to see their ugly mugs," Patty says. "We could just sneak in, grab Kid, and get out!"

"Patty!" Liz snaps, her teeth clenched. "We are not-,"

The older girl's rebuke is interrupted by a hard thud. Shinigami has fallen to his knees at the sisters' feet.

"Please," he begs, his voice hoarse. "Please bring my son home. I'll be in your debt for the rest of my life, I'll owe you everything, just please bring him home!"

For a moment, Liz can't speak. She just stares blankly at the man on the ground before her. _Is that what it's supposed to be like?_ she wonders faintly. _Is that what it looks like, to have a parent that cares?_

Liz and Patty had spent their childhoods crouched in dim, smokey rooms, waiting for their mother to finish with whatever faceless hookup she'd be occupying her time with. They'd known perfectly well what a drain they were on their mother; she'd never been shy about telling them. When they'd finally run away, Liz wonders if that woman even bothered to look for them.

This man leaves Liz with no such doubts. It's clear to her that he'd go to the ends of the earth for his son. But right now, his son is somewhere he can't follow.

_But we can._

Liz glances at Patty. Patty stares back, waiting for an answer. Shinigami's forehead is pressed into the dirt. Azusa is still as stone.

For what must be the hundredth time that day, Liz curses.

"We have to hurry," she finally says, turning back the way they'd come. She doesn't have to look to know Patty is right behind her, and together, they break onto a run.

_Hang in there, Kid_ , she thinks, and hopes they make it this time.


	8. The Great Escape (Sort of)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done! The next chapter will be the last.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender
> 
> Warning: Some language and violence

Not far from the burning town, a ship floats in a sheltered marina. The ship, a hulking steamer, casts a long shadow on the small port town it occupies.

Deep within the thick steel frame of this ship, Kid waits for something to happen. Until now he'd been trying to do something himself, straining with all his might against the chains tethering his arms and legs to the walls and floor of the small cabin, but no amount of pulling or thrashing had helped in the slightest. So, he waits, staring at the locked door like it holds the answers to all life's mysteries.

_Useless_ , he berates himself. It's almost a mantra at this point: _useless, useless, useless._ He hasn't been the Avatar for two full days, and he's already managed to screw it up.

He wonders what's in store for him now. Does Arachne really think he's going to just do what she tells him to? Kid doubts it; one doesn't become a crime lord without some measure of intelligence. Still, he's not looking forward to learning what she does have in mind.

Iron links jingle as Kid tries once more to wrench an arm free, but it's no use. He hangs his head, exhaling sharply.

_Useless_.

* * *

The Thompson sisters crouch in the shadows of the dock, studying Giriko's ship carefully. Many of the thugs they'd seen with him earlier now mill about the place aimlessly, waiting for orders.

Then, an opening: the two men by the ship's loading ramp walk off, seemingly towards the town proper. Looking to get in a drink or two before leaving, Liz bets, not that it matters. The girls seize their chance, and before long they're climbing below deck.

They creep soundlessly through hallway after hallway, communicating only through glances and gestures. _Not here. Stay close. This way_.

It's only on the second floor down that they find a door with two guards on it. The sisters trade looks. _Bingo_.

* * *

Kid's head snaps up at the sound of two muted thuds from just outside the door. What was that?

The doorknob begins to rattle, and a fragile hope makes Kid hold his breath. Giriko and Mosquito wouldn't be this quiet, would they? Could this be a rescue?

Then the door opens, and Kid is looking into some unhappily familiar faces.

"You!" he exclaims, straightening. "What are you two doing here?"

"Rescuing you, stupid," Liz says, shutting the door quietly behind her. Patty is already at his feet, using a thin piece of metal to open the cuffs on his ankles. They pop open, as do the ones on his wrists when Liz is through with them, and Kid takes a moment to examine his chafed skin. Then he stares at the girls, uncomprehending.

"Why?" he asks, bewildered.

"Does it matter?" Liz snaps. It does, Kid thinks, but he's willing to let it slide for the moment. They do have bigger things to worry about, after all.

Opening the door just a crack, Liz peers cautiously into the hallway. "C'mon," she mutters, waving Kid and Patty forward. As he steps through the doorway, Kid tries not to stare at the two thugs slumped gracelessly on the floor.

The trio makes their way through the steel-plated halls of the ship, ready to dive behind a corner or into an open room at a moment's notice. Fortunately, the few roaming patrols they encounter don't seem terribly concerned with their jobs, many of them smelling quite strongly of booze. It makes Kid uneasy; surely escape won't be so easy, will it?

This kernel of paranoia is momentarily forgotten, however, when the trio emerges on deck; although it takes a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, the coastal breeze and warm sun are a balm on Kid's soul.

"Oh, shit," Liz hisses. Kid wonders what the matter is now, until his sight returns to him.

_Oh, shit_.

It appears that, in their nerve-wracking scramble to reach the deck, they failed to notice the ship setting sail.

"Look!" Patty exclaims in a high whisper. Her outstretched pointer finger directs them to the port town, which grows smaller in the distance. _Perfect, just perfect!_

"There must be a life raft here somewhere, right? We could use that to get back to shore," Kid suggests.

"Maybe," Liz bites her lip, still staring at the town. Her tone does not inspire confidence.

The trio creeps out of the stairwell and onto the deck. It's a good deal busier up here than inside the ship, so their pace slows significantly. Darting between shadows, they struggle to keep from being seen. Kid follows the sisters' lead, though, and eventually they spot a small, wooden vessel tied to the ship's railing. _Yes!_ After another several minutes' worth of waiting for an opening, the trio makes a break for it. As they run, however, a familiar sound reaches Kid's ears: the hiss of super-heated air.

With a wordless shout, Kid dives forward, knocking Liz and Patty to the ground. Right where their heads had been, a jet of fire rockets through empty space and sets the life raft aflame.

"Dammit!" comes a shout from behind them. Rolling over, Kid sees Giriko perched atop the ship's superstructure, one leg outstretched and smoking. Mosquito stands beside him, scowling down at them from the bridge of his nose.

"Run!" Liz shouts, hoisting Patty to her feet. All notions of subtlety abandoned, the trio races for cover. Unfortunately, Giriko's attack has alerted the rest of the crew to the escape attempt, and several men rush to stop them.

"I told you something like this'd happen," Giriko says, jumping down onto the deck. "I told you he and his freaky powers'd find a way to get loose."

"And you were right," Mosquito nods, coming down the stairs to join him. "I suppose a broken clock is accurate twice a day. Although it appears he's had some help. You girls!" he calls, addressing the sisters. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, we just saw you were in the area and thought it'd be fun to say hello," Liz tells him airily. Mosquito looks unamused, but Giriko grins.

"Izzat so?" he asks. White plumes of smoke begin to drift up from his feet. Liz pushes Patty back a little, but the younger girl's glare never leaves Giriko's face. "Then, I'll try to make this interesting for you!" He and Liz move at the same time: the former kicking another barrage of flame towards the trio, the latter flinging a small knife at the brunette's head. Fortunately and not, neither projectile hits its mark as everyone leaps into action.

Pulling two more knives from the folds of her skirt, Liz fends off a few overeager goons, Patty brandishing similar weapons beside her. The sisters fight as one, diving and thrusting in perfect sync. Patty creates an opening, Liz takes it, and vice versa. Kid is so entranced by their coordination that he almost fails to dodge an attack from one of the many other goons swarming the ship. Kid slides into a defensive stance and lets off a few shots of his own fire, grateful now for his father's insistence he at least master the basics of firebending. The men scatter at the scorching volley, but others replace them.

Kid's sense of time dissolves as the fight drags on. His heart is pounding in his ears, but not with the fear he'd felt earlier. What is wrong with these people? Who are they to destroy his home and drag him off? The heat of his flames grows more intense as his anger builds. No one has the right to cause chaos! _Someday_ , he vows, _the world will be free of scum like this. I'll make sure of it._

But that day is far off, and right now, his righteous fury can only do so much. Little by little, the trio loses ground, until Kid and the sisters stand with their backs to the ship's railing.

"What's the matter?" Giriko cackles. "Can't keep up? Shame. And here I thought I'd get a halfway-decent fight." He steps towards them, and the circle of men tightens. Kid searches frantically for a way out, his fear flooding back as he fails to find one.

"I strongly suggest returning to your room, Avatar," Mosquito says, his gaze leveled at Kid. "If you do, I'll forget this little incident ever occurred."

"Don't bother," Liz snaps, glancing at Kid from the corner of her eye. "It's not gonna make a difference."

"You know," Giriko interjects. "I'd always heard the Thompson Sisters were supposed to be pretty slick, but it turns out they're just another pair of stupid brats who don't know when to roll over. I'm sure Arachne's gonna want a word with you about all this."

"Yeah, well, she's gonna have to wait," Liz retorts. At some point during this exchange, her hands had come to rest on the smooth metal of the ship's railing. Patty seems to know something Kid doesn't, because she's gone still and tense beside her sister. He doesn't have time to start wondering what that something is, though, before Liz seizes him by the arm and yanks him off his feet.

"Hey!" Giriko shouts, and Mosquito's eyes bug out, but they're too late; right before the shocked crowd, the trio pitches backward over the railing and into the open air.


	9. Take the Long Way Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender
> 
> Warning: Language

The eternity they seem to spend in the air is nowhere near enough time for Kid to prepare himself for the shock of the cold water when he hits it. Down, down they sink, and his skin burns from the slap of the ocean's surface. There's a moment where Kid thinks they'll just keep going down, until they're swallowed by the endless black, but then they are rising, and he finds air again.

"Gah-!" Kid sputters, spitting out a mouthful of saltwater. As he does, two other splashes alert him to Liz and Patty's emergence.

"Woo-hoo!" Patty cheers, thrusting a fist into the air.

Far above the waterlogged trio, the ship's deck is in a frenzy. Distantly, Kid hears Mosquito shouting for someone to _get them, get them, don't let them get away_ , but nothing seems to be happening beyond that. Belatedly, Kid wonders if the boat Giriko torched had been their only one.

"Swim!" Liz commands, and Kid tears his eyes away from the commotion and paddles after her.

* * *

A good twenty minutes of the fastest swimming Kid's ever done in his life later, and they're dragging themselves ashore. Dropping onto the warm sand, all they can do at first is breathe.

"Dammit," Liz pants, once she's recovered enough to talk. "Dammit!"

"What's wrong?" Kid asks, lifting his head a little.

"What's wrong?" Liz parrots incredulously. "They saw us! They weren't supposed to see us!"

"And?" Kid raises an eyebrow. Not being seen is sort of a key part of rescue missions, isn't it?

"You don't get it," she snaps, climbing to her feet. "They know that we're the ones who broke you out. Arachne knows we screwed her over!" Liz presses her palms over her eyes, as though fighting off a headache. "She's gonna come after us, now. Arachnophobia! After us! And it's all because of you!"

"Me?!" Kid echoes, indignation giving him the strength to stand. "How is any of this my fault? If you hadn't taken my watch, none of this would have happened!"

"You and your stupid watch!" Liz shouts. "You could've just gone out and bought another one, but nooo, you had to have that one! And I bet you always get what you want, don't you, you spoiled little-,"

"Hey!" Patty interjects, putting herself between Kid and Liz. "Knock it off!" Kid wants to argue, but the strain in Patty's tone convinces him to drop it. For now, anyway. Liz seems to have similar thoughts, because she's not shouting anymore when she next speaks:

"Whatever. The point is, we've got to get moving."

On that point, at least, they're in perfect agreement; Kid wants to get as far away from those goons as possible.

"I don't think we're more than a few hours' walk from my home," he tells the sisters, glancing across the bay. "If we start now, we should get there before sunset." At this, Liz laughs dryly.

"You really don't get it, do you?" she asks, shaking her head incredulously. His blank stare speaks for itself. "You're not going home. You can't. You think Arachne's gonna leave you alone just because this didn't work? Uh uh. All three of us are going to be on the run for the rest of our miserable lives, because Arachne will never, ever quit."

"That's… they can't…" Kid grasps for words. What?! "Azusa will stop them! The army will stop them! They're criminals, they can't just march around doing whatever they want!"

"Oh yeah? Well, newsflash, Schoolboy, but they've been doing that for years," Liz snaps. "You may not hear too much about it in Podunk, but for the rest of the world, Arachnophobia is a big deal. And trust me, when they want something, they get it, no matter what or who they have to go through. You want to go hide behind Mommy and Daddy, be my guest, just don't come crying to us when Giriko fries them."

Whatever Kid had been planning to say just then dies in his throat. That can't be right. She's lying. She's exaggerating! She has to be! But no- Kid remembers the sight of the warehouse exploding in flames, the sound of terrified screams, the way his stomach had dropped to his feet when Giriko leapt at his father. Liz is telling the truth. If he goes home, he'll bring that chaos, that terror, right back with him. People would get hurt. People could die. And the Avatar can't let that happen; Kid can't let that happen.

"Agni," he breathes, and suddenly his legs can't hold him up anymore.

"Whoa!" Liz shouts, she and Patty darting forward to grab his arms. Carefully, they lower him to the ground, setting him on his knees in the sand. Kid hardly registers this, though; he stares forward blankly.

He can never go home. He's never going to see his father again. His classmates, his teachers, his friends, they've all become unreachable. He's going to spend the rest of his life running and hiding, always looking over his shoulder, sleeping with one eye open. His life as he knew it is over, and he's alone.

"Hey." Liz's voice, tentative and without its earlier hostility, halts his descent into despair. Awareness of the world returns, and the sisters' faces solidify in his vision. They're watching him carefully. "It doesn't… Look, it's not that bad, alright? Don't freak out."

"You aren't gonna do that glowy thing again, are you?" Patty asks, her eyes wide. Kid draws a deep breath.

"No… I don't think so," he sighs.

"Why not?" Some of Kid's misery is forgotten as he realizes Patty is disappointed.

"I can't do it on command," he explains. "It just happens. It's supposed to be an Avatar thing, I guess, but I don't know how to control it."

"Oh. Well, why don't you go learn, then?" Patty suggests, as though this is obvious. Kid arches an eyebrow.

"From who? The Fire Sages were supposed to explain everything, but now…" He shrugs helplessly.

"Don't most Avatars go on a trip or something, anyway?" Liz interjects, looking thoughtful. "Like, to find teachers and learn this stuff."

"Yes, I suppose, but-,"

"That's it!" Patty exclaims. Liz and Kid stare at her, taken aback.

"What's it?" Liz asks.

"That's what we're gonna do! We're gonna find teachers for Kid, so he can know all this stuff and be strong enough to take down Arachne!"

"That… actually might work," Liz muses, turning this suggestion over in her mind. "She's mostly after you now because you're such an easy target. But if you master all the elements, you could take the fight to her!"

"Whoa, whoa," Kid interrupts, his arms outstretched. "You saw what those guys were capable of, right? And that was just a few of them! If what you said before is true, Arachnophobia's probably got an army of people like that. You expect me to take them down?"

"Why not?" Liz pushes onward. "Plenty of Avatars have done stuff like that in the past, haven't they? I mean, I heard Avatar Eibon stopped an entire fleet of pirate ships from reaching the North Pole, all by himself."

"Yes, but he was a fully-realized Avatar, and an adult!" Kid protests. "I don't even know how shave yet, how can I bring down a criminal empire?"

"We'll help you!" Patty assures him. "And we find you some really good teachers, so you'll know how to kick serious butt!" Spirits, they're serious about this!

"This is crazy," Kid moans, holding his head in his hands.

"You got a better idea?" Liz asks. He doesn't dignify her with a response. "Then I guess it's settled. Let's go find you some teachers!"

As the girls haul him to his feet, Kid glances up at the sky. It's clear and blue, mocking him with its sunny cheer. So, globe-trotting it is then, huh? Well. Every Avatar's journey has to start somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand that's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who's read and enjoyed this story. Also, a special thank you to Destiny19404, whose support and kind words took a lot of the fear out of sharing my work.
> 
> I managed to finish this fic just before some real-life obligations crept up on me, but now that they're almost here I may not be posting quite as much. However, I don't plan on stopping entirely, since I've got plenty of things I want to do now that the groundwork of this AU is laid out. The rest of the main 7 need to join the crew, for one thing, and I think I've worked out how that's going to happen. I have a few things that should be ready to go pretty soon, but I can't promise they'll update as routinely as this did. Basically, it may start taking a little longer, but I will keep going. In the meantime, though, thank you again for reading!
> 
> PS- I've added a link to my profile here and on FFN to some art I made for this AU! It's just some clumsy panel redraws, but I hope it helps you see this world a little clearer.


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